Background Information Jun16

East Sutherland DMG Background Information EAST SUTHERLAND DEER MANAGEMENT GROUP DECEMBER 2016 DRAFT DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016 – 2025 Background Information PREFACE This Deer Management Plan has been developed for the East Sutherland Deer Management Group (ESDMG). The Plan is funded both by the deer group and by Scottish Natural Heritage. It runs from 2016 until 2025 and has been formally endorsed by all the Members of the Group. It has been designed to be readily updated as needs arise and will be reviewed on a six-monthly basis or as required, with a systematic review taking place at the end of the first five year period in 2020. This document has been compiled by: Jos Milner, Balhallach, Girnoc, Ballater, AB35 5SR T: 013397 53854 E: [email protected] 1 East Sutherland DMG Background Information CONTENTS Part One - Introduction (numbers will change) 1. Purpose of Plan 3 2. Group Area 3 3. Group Membership 4 3a. Member Descriptions 6 3b. Reporting Units 11 4. Deer Information Required 13 5. Designated Sites Introduction 13 Part Two - Overall Aims & Objectives 6. Long Term Vision 16 7. Strategic Objectives 16 Part Three - Management Policies & Information 8. Red Deer Population 18 8a. Population Size 18 8b. Cull Information 21 8c. Management Issues 25 9. Other Deer Species 27 9a. Sika Deer 27 9b. Roe Deer 29 10. Moorland Management 29 11. Sheep & Cattle 30 12. Forestry/ Woodlands 31 13. Supplementary Deer Policies 31 14. Communications Policy & Contacts 33 15. Training Policy 34 16. Reviewing the Plan 35 Part Four - Operation of the Group ADMG Benchmark Assessment 36 Part Five - Public Interest Actions Delivery of Public Interests Assessment 42 The Working Plan (Separate Summary Document) Actions Summary Population Models Habitat Monitoring APPENDICIES 1. ESDMG Constitution 2. ESDMG Contact List & Sporting Requirements- CONFIDENTIAL 3. Designated Sites Information 4. Deer Cull Information Required 5. ESDMG Target Culls 2016- 17- CONFIDENTIAL 6. Monitoring of Designated Features 7. ESDMG Five year population model 8. ESDMG Broad Habitat data Also included are recommended larder sheets for males and females. 2 East Sutherland DMG Background Information Part One - INTRODUCTION 1. PURPOSE OF PLAN The purpose of this Plan is to provide:- (a) an agreed statement of the shared views of the Members of the Group about the management of wild deer in the area covered by the Group; (b) an agreed set of the actions to try and ensure that deer management in the area is in line with those shared views; (c) an agreed set of actions that will identify and deliver relevant public interests and benefits throughout the area; (d) an agreed pattern of arrangements to try and ensure that the actions are implemented and their effectiveness monitored; (e) a document that acts as a ready source of information for both members and the general public alike, clarifying points of contact, and setting out how communications can best be received and addressed. 2. GROUP AREA The East Sutherland Deer Management Group (ESDMG) lies in the north of the main red deer range in Scotland, extending from the Flow Country of the North Highlands to the east coast. The broad boundaries of the area are: - in the west: the A836 running from Lairg to Altnaharra - in the north: Loch Naver, along the Rosal Forest boundary, around Loch Rimsdale and along the north sides of, Loch Nan Clar, Loch Badanloch and Loch Achnamoine to the Helmsdale River - in the north-east: the A897 down Strath Kildonan to Helmsdale - in the east: the A9 / coast between Helmsdale and Loch Fleet, just south of Golspie - in the south: the A839 along Strath Fleet from the coast to Lairg Other than the villages around the periphery of the area and crofting communities around Rogart and along the coast, there are few settlements or public roads within the DMG. For a map of the ESDMG area, see 1. ES DMG Location Map . ESDMG shares its boundary to the north with the Northern DMG and its western boundary with North West Sutherland DMG. To the south, a new group is being established which will be known as South East Sutherland DMG. Scale and ownership The entire area extends to around 123,000 ha, which is primarily open hill but includes a considerable area of farmland and nearly 18,000 ha of woodland and forestry, much of which is enclosed. East Sutherland is one of the larger DMG areas in Scotland. There are 20 main members of the Group, split previously into 2 sub-groups, North-west and South-east. We propose that an additional East sub-group is created, recognising that the eastern tip is essentially cut-off from the rest of the south-east sub-group by fencing. In addition, there are a number of smaller properties around the periphery of the Group, particularly to the south and east. While not members, these properties are influenced by deer management activities and may correspond with the Group. Broadly speaking, the interior of the Group is dominated by hill and upland terrain with large expanses of blanket bog and deep peat, 3 East Sutherland DMG Background Information grazed by both red deer and sheep, with red grouse also being locally important in some areas. The balance of objectives varies between owners, but red deer are important throughout. Around the periphery of the Group there is a significant area of both coniferous forestry and native woodland, particularly to the west and north, while fertile farmland lies to the south and east. A considerable part of the forest area is managed by Forest Enterprise, although there are also significant private woodland plantations as well. There are a number of both tenanted and owner occupied farms within the area and in the wider vicinity, as well as areas of crofting tenure, with grazing committees being an important community interest. Fishing is important on the Helmsdale, Brora and Naver rivers, and there are a large number of lochs within the area. 3. GROUP MEMBERSHIP There are a range of main management objectives within the group area, summarized on 555.5. ESESESDMGES DMG Management Objectives Map and in Table 1. In many cases there are mixed objectives with deer management occurring alongside other sporting interests and / or livestock farming or overall range management. Of those properties providing information on their objectives, there are: • 3 properties, covering 24,500 ha or 23% of the area with known management objectives, managed primarily for deer. This is the most significant land use objective within the DMG area • 3 properties, covering 21,150 ha or 20% of the area with known objectives, managed for both deer and livestock farming • 2 properties, covering 13,100 ha or 12% of the area, managed for deer and fishing, with no agricultural interests within the DMG • 1 property with 11,000 ha or 10% of the area, managed primarily for deer but with renewable energy interests and a limited area of crofting • 3 properties covering 8,400 ha or 8% of the area, where range management is the primary land management objective, associated with renewable energy interests in some cases. • 1 property, covering 8,400 ha or 8% of the area, managed primarily for forestry • 1 property with 7,800 ha or 7% of the area, managed for mixed sporting interests and with crofting tenure • 1 property, covering 4,800 ha or 5% of the area, with livestock farming and mixed sporting interests • 2 properties with 3,700 ha, or 3% of the area, managed primarily for livestock farming but with some deer sporting interests • 2 properties partly within the DMG area, covering 2,260 ha or 2% of the area, with deer stalking, fishing and livestock interests • 1 property covering 1,400 ha or representing 1% of the area, with crofting as its major land use activity but some small-scale deer stalking as an additional interest. 4 East Sutherland DMG Background Information The following table gives a summary of the management objectives of those properties within the deer group that are either fully subscribing or proposed reporting members of the group. Reporting members report deer culls to ESDMG once a year and receive all Group communications. The properties can be located at 222.2. ESESDMGDMG Members Map . Table 1. East Sutherland DMG Members & their Management Objectives Property Main Objectives Size (ha) † Altnaharra (part) Sporting / fishing / livestock 1,200 Badanloch (part) Deer / fishing 5,100 Balnacoil Deer / livestock 7,400 Ben Armine Deer 8,000 Borrobol Deer / livestock 8,750 Clebrig Sporting / livestock 4,800 *Craggie / Doulay Forestry 700 *Crakaig Livestock farming 1,400 FE Dalchork Forestry / range management 10,400 Dalnessie Deer / livestock 5,000 Dalreavoch Deer (crofting) 4,500 Dunrobin Deer / wind farm 11,000 *Gartymore Crofting 1,400 Gordonbush Range management / wind farm 5,400 Kildonan Deer / fishing 8,000 Kintradwell Livestock farming 2,300 *Lairg Estate Forestry 1,200 Loch Choire Deer 12,100 *Morvich n/a 1,970 *Rosal Forest Forestry 2,600 *Sciberscross Forestry 1,000 Torrish (part) Sporting / fishing / livestock 1,060 *Torrish Woods Forestry 500 Tressady Sporting (crofting) 7,800 West Garty / Culgower Range management / wind farm‡ 1,000 Total area covered: 114,580 ha †Approximate area, excluding significant lochs and known deer-fenced ground * These properties are not yet official members of ESDMG. It is proposed that they become reporting members in the first instance, i.e. report deer culls and receive Group communications, but do not pay a subscription to become a full member of the Group n/a No information available ‡ Subject to planning consent 5 East Sutherland DMG Background Information 3a. MEMBER DESCRIPTIONS The following section gives a brief overview of the essential management information relating to each of the Group Members that has provided information.

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